Because
by illumipel
Summary: Tomboys don't pick the otter-snowman or sit in the park feeding birds.  Except when they do.


Written because the female player character ('White' until I get her official name) is listed on Tvtropes as being perceived as "one of the boys" and the fact that I was originally planning to pick the fire starter before I saw mijumaru when I get the game and I like the idea of Cheren having a slight crush on White and well... because I can. :)

Reviews and critiques are welcome. Just no flames. I'm an artist not a writer.

**Edit:** Got her official Japanese name, switching it in story.

* * *

One day Touko would actually follow his carefully reasoned out expectations.

For as long as Cheren had known her, she'd gone against every stereotype that surrounded the girls back home, the stupid superficial spoiled brats, and at the same time all the assumed traits that came with bucking the trends. All of the boys assumed she'd be one of them and scorn the girls for their superficial qualities but her best friend (and subsequently his) was one of the most absentminded and frivolous girls in town. Sure, Touko was more likely to join some boys in a game of rugby in the rain than girls gossiping about cute idols, but that never stopped her from letting Bel drag her out shopping or spending an afternoon in the library with him.

Their own friendship was a surprise in hindsight, an oddball tomboy and a nerd with dreams of being champion. ('Why's she with that arrogant know-it-all?' they had whispered, condescending and closed minded.)

But this had certainly thrown him for a real loop.

Touko had picked mijumaru.

For all his skills in strategy he couldn't seem to wrap his mind around the concept. It didn't seem right. He couldn't say that surprising him with her choices was new but after roughly a decade of being wrong Cheren thought he'd finally gotten something right.

Fate however, seemed poised to ensure he'd always be off.

The three of them had gone to Professor Araragi with hopes of obtaining pokemon so they might begin their own travels. She happily complied.

Araragi had handed Touko the briefcase holding them with a wink, "Be nice and share you three."

Out came three pokemon: a snake, a pig, and an otter. Bel squeed with delight, Touko let out a contemplative 'hmm' and he took the note that came with them, calmly reading each of their names and types.

The moment he had finished Bel'd excitedly proclaimed, "They're all so cute! How can she expect me to just choose one of them?"

"You'll need to" He'd told her calmly, "Or are you forgetting that Touko and I need pokemon too?"

"I know!" Bel pouted, exaggerated and energetic, "I just like them all. It's hard to pick just one, right Touko?"

Their blue-eyed friend however, had not spared them any attention. Instead she was contently petting the water pokemon, evoking quiet mewls of happiness from the small creature.

"Hey there," She whispered softly, like a mother to her child, "You wanna come with me, little guy?"

Mijumaru looked up at her, wide eyed with a quiet "Mii~" before tottering across the remaining length of the table and into her arms. Touko giggled and cradled it like a babe.

Cheren and Bel had both stared.

He'd never seen her so... feminine before. He hadn't been sure what to think...

They were now all sitting on the edge of a park fountain, munching on soft pretzels and chatting about everything and nothing, their pokemon out and enjoying the warm weather after an exciting battle with each other.

Cheren glanced into the fountain, idly checking the mijumaru who'd jumped in the moment it saw the water, but he only sees the goldeen that are always in it. Turning quickly to alert Touko, he found her having a starting contest with the pokemon, who was now seated squarely in front of her.

The little sea otter mewled impatiently at her feet.

"Hush you." She retorted playfully, tearing a piece of her pretzel off and tossing it at the little thing's head. Squealing happily the mijumaru squirted small blasts of well-aimed water at the snack, almost as if it were a toy. After successfully keeping it airborne for over a minute, it caught the pretzel piece in its paws, flopped down on it's back, and began enjoying it's now soaked treat. Bel clapped and cheered like a child at the circus before turning her attention back to the pokabu in her lap, cooing at it as if it were a baby.

Cheren blinked. Once. Twice. And then:

"Impressive."

At that, Touko turned to look at him. He fought down a blush.

"Ah! I- I mean... well he had trouble against my Tsujara before and to be able to do something so well coordinated as that when he's still obviously untrained is... well... erm..."

Oh Arceus, why was he stammering now?

Why was he stammering period?

But to his relief (disappointment?) Touko is as oblivious and straight to the point as ever. "You had a type advantage, of course he'd have trouble."

To say that he had expected her to completely crush him, regardless of type advantage, would be embarrassing, so he says nothing in response. Future region champions do not admit when they are intimidated.

Then again, future champions don't lose.

The white noise of the park washes over them as Cheren looks away, stroking the Tsujara in his lap. The young pokemon nuzzles its head into his palm in turn, content as it begins to doze off. He quietly smiles down at it, and tries to keep his attention on it. But Bel's easily distracted nature is contagious and he finds himself stealing glances at Touko and her mijumaru as she absentmindedly feeds the mamepatos that are slowly gathering around them.

The sight is so different from the dirt covered tomboy he's known for so long he doesn't even realize that he's begun to stare until:

"Something wrong?"

"Huh?"

Touko's eyes are sparkling with amusement (were they always such a pretty shade of blue?) as she leans forward with her hand under her chin watching him carefully. She pauses, for drama or perhaps in thought - either way it's making him more self-conscious than he has ever been- and smiles indulgently.

"You've been staring at me for the past ten minutes."

Mortification.

"_I have __**not!**_"

Bel looks up from her spot, staring open mouthed at his frantic and uncharacteristic reply. Touko's eyes and smile simply go wider.

"Have **to.**"

"Mrr..." Not good... both of them are watching him carefully now, waiting patiently (or not in Bel's case) for an answer.

"Skitty got your tongue?"

"**No**..." He hisses back, and sighs because there's no getting around it now. He points down at the water pokemon now playing with a mamepato seated between Touko's feet, "Why did you pick Mijumaru?"

A pause.

Bel reacts first. And loud. "AWW! That it? I though you were going to confess! Why'd ya have ta go and ask something silly lik-MMRPH!"

Touko ignores the muffled protests of their girly friend, securely holding the hat down over her face as she turns towards him, an eyebrow cocked in confusion. He thinks she may be blushing as well but he can't tell. He's not sure if he wants to.

"Obnoxiously loud or not, she's got a point: What's the big deal?"

For a moment Cheren sees Touko when they were in kindergarten, arguing well past the point of exchanging insults with a bully who had decided to make Bel his favorite victim one day. He clearly hears in his mind her proud proclamation - shouted at the top of her lungs after the teacher had finally managed to pull her off him - of how she'd fry him alive with the fire pokemon she was sure to get from the professor when she was old enough if 'you ever hurt any of my friends again, you stupid bidoof!'

He wonders if he's the only one who remembers.

"When we were kids, you always would say how if you could you'd get a fire pokemon from Professor Araragi. But you barely even glanced at the pokabu."

"Bubu." Bel corrects sourly as Touko relinquishes her grip, concentrating more on fixing her hair than the conversation now.

They ignore her.

"Cheren," She says soft and amused and he's not blushing, really he's not, "I was **five** when I said that."

"And how old was I when I first said I'd become champion?"

Touko laughs.

"True."

"Well then?"

She looks down at the little thing at her feet. "Because."

"That's not an answer," He pouts. "Tomboys don't pick baby-ish water pokemon just 'because.'"

One leg kicks up and Mijumaru protests as the mamepato fly off, startled, "Yeah well, tomboys don't wear short shorts or carry pink messenger bags." She grins brightly and leans over to rest her head on his shoulder, "But then, most tomboys aren't me."

He carefully avoids looking at said shorts and adjusts the way he's sitting so she'll be more comfortable, resting his head against hers. Bel giggles at the sight of the two of them. It's annoying and stupid but he'll get her for embarrassing him like this once he's champion.

He supposes he can afford to let her win this round too.

"Fair enough."

So she didn't pick the pokemon she always said she would, so what?

She may be a little more confusing and a lot more feminine but Touko is still Touko.

And that's enough.

* * *

_Fin._


End file.
